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The U.S. stock market rose to records after oil prices eased and companies kept reporting bigger profits for the start of the year than analysts expected. The S&P 500 climbed 0.8% Tuesday and topped its prior all-time high set at the end of last week. The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 0.7%, and the Nasdaq composite gained 1% to set its own record. Stocks got a boost after oil prices gave back much of their big jumps from Monday, and Brent crude fell 4%. DuPont rallied after the chemical giant led another cavalcade of companies reporting better profits than analysts expected.

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U.S. military leaders say a ceasefire with Iran is still in effect a day after Tehran was blamed for new attacks in the Strait of Hormuz and against the United Arab Emirates. The UAE, a key American ally, said it came under attack by Iranian missiles and drones for a second day on Tuesday. Still, the fragile truce reached nearly a month ago appeared to be holding. U.S. forces are pressing ahead with efforts to reopen the strait, a vital waterway for global energy. It’s unclear whether U.S. military action can reassure shippers without reigniting the conflict. A spokesman for Iran's joint military command denied striking the UAE “in recent days.”

AP Wire
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The U.S. military says it fired on Iranian forces and sank six small boats as it moved to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. The United Arab Emirates, a key American ally, said it had come under attack from Iran on Monday, the first since a fragile ceasefire took hold in early April. The attacks appeared to be in response to U.S. President Donald Trump’s latest efforts to reopen the strategic strait. The U.S. military said two American-flagged merchant ships had successfully transited the strait on Monday. Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi warned early Tuesday on X that both the U.S. and the UAE “should be wary of being dragged back into quagmire.”

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The ceasefire in the Iran war faces its most critical moment yet as the United States begins efforts to open the Strait of Hormuz. On Monday, the U.S. launched "Project Freedom" to guide ships through the strait, calling it a humanitarian effort. Iran views this as a violation of the ceasefire. The U.S. says two U.S.-flagged ships have safely transited, but Iran warns that any foreign military force in the strait will be targeted. Already, the United Arab Emirates says it has come under attack for the first time since the early April ceasefire, and a British military monitor says two cargo vessels are ablaze.

AP Wire
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U.S. President Donald Trump has announced “Project Freedom” to help ships leave the Strait of Hormuz, starting on Monday. He says the project aims to assist “neutral and innocent” countries affected by the Iran war. Iran has rejected it. Trump also says ongoing discussions with Iran could lead to positive outcomes. Two ships around the strait were attacked on Sunday, according to the British military. Meanwhile, Tehran is reviewing a U.S. response to its proposal to end the war and says nuclear issues are not included.

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President Donald Trump says he is reviewing a new Iranian proposal to end the war but expressed skepticism it would be acceptable. He mentioned this on Saturday before boarding Air Force One. Iran reportedly shared a 14-point proposal via Pakistan. Trump rejected a previous proposal this week, but conversations continue, and a three-week ceasefire is holding. Meanwhile, the health of imprisoned Iranian rights lawyer Narges Mohammadi is at high risk, according to her family. The U.S. has warned shipping companies about possible sanctions for paying Iran to pass safely through the Strait of Hormuz. Iran has also hanged two men convicted of spying for Israel.

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Iran's supreme leader says the Islamic Republic will protect its nuclear and missile capabilities as a national asset. Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei made the statement Thursday, likely drawing a hard line as U.S. President Donald Trump seeks a wider deal to cement the war's shaky three-week ceasefire. Khamenei also said Americans belong “at the bottom” of the Persian Gulf. His remarks come as Iran's oil industry is struggling under a U.S. Navy blockade and as the global economy feels the strain of Iran's chokehold on the Strait of Hormuz. World oil prices surged above $126 a barrel on Thursday. The Trump administration is trying to persuade other nations to help reopen the strait.

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Toxic runoff from rare earth mines in Myanmar is contaminating rivers that flow into Thailand, threatening the Mekong River and its basin's fisheries and farmland. Satellite analysis has also tracked the emergence of suspected mines in Laos, deepening concerns in downstream Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam. Heavy metal contaminants from unchecked expansion of such mining threaten the lives and livelihoods of millions who rely on the Mekong. Experts say demand for rare earth materials that are used in many modern technologies from electric vehicles to missiles is rising, posing a public health risk across the region.

AP Wire
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Iran has offered to end its control over the Strait of Hormuz if the U.S. lifts its blockade and ends the war. That's according to regional officials. The proposal that emerged Monday would delay discussions on Iran’s nuclear program. U.S. President Donald Trump seems unlikely to accept the offer, and Secretary of State Marco Rubio appeared to rule out any deal that excludes Iran's nuclear program. The blockade prevents Iran from selling oil, affecting global prices and economies. Trump extended a ceasefire with Iran, but a permanent settlement remains elusive. In other developments, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi met with Russian President Vladimir Putin to discuss the situation.